Savage Dance
by Cathartic Trance
Summary: KH:CoM– Axel desperately wants to feel anything, even if it means feeling pain, and Larxene is all too happy to give him just what he wants. LARXEL, S&M– VIII: “What happens to the traitor?” he asked, already knowing the answer, yet dreading it altogether
1. Chapter 1: Proof of Existence

Chapter 1: Proof of Existence

Axel was a Nobody who was desperate to feel. He was numb, unfeeling, and yet he could still _feel_ things; the texture of a surface or the wind blowing against his skin. He could feel with his body, but his heart was something else entirely.

Axel couldn't feel emotions, for he had no heart. That was what his superiors told him when he found his way into the infamous Organization XIII (then known as Organization VIII). Yet, in his earlier days within the organization, he could have sworn that, despite his lack of heart, he still felt a sense of something within that empty chest of his. He thought he could still love things or hate things even if he felt numb inside. He confronted all the seven members before him about this strange phenomenon he thought he could feel, but each and every one of them dissuaded his hopeful words with the explanation that what he was feeling were mere memories of emotion from his past life when he had a heart; the faint echo of something that once was. They told him that it would fade as his memories inevitably would.

And with this belief firmly implanted in Axel's mind, his emotions -- or the echoes thereof -- did fade into Oblivion.

He felt so incomplete and it... bothered him -- if he was able to be bothered by anything at all. It was silly to feel that way, he told himself, for he obviously was incomplete; the shell of a person. A Nobody forever incomplete without a heart. He wanted to feel though. He wanted proof of his existence, because if he couldn't feel, then what was the point of existing at all?

Pain was something he could feel and he revelled in it. He fascinated himself by cutting his skin and watching the blood pool from the wound only to be healed minutes after. The sharp sensation of blissful pain that pulsed from the cut was what kept him sane. He wanted to feel anything, and even if it wasn't equivalent to love or hate, pain was at least _something_. It was his proof of existence.

Pretty soon self-inflicted pain became somewhat boring. Axel was a cocky, arrogant asshole by nature, and he used his natural talents to get a rise out of his fellow organization members in hopes of getting into a good fight. He was excellent at his job within the Organization, collecting hearts almost effortlessly and with the utmost diligence incomparable by the other members for it meant getting his heart back, and it meant feeling emotions again, regardless of how long it would take. But after missions, when the Organization would simply hang around the Castle That Never Was, Axel would pester anyone he passed with witty taunts and manipulative words. It wasn't much fun though when it took so much effort to only wind up barely bruised or scratched.

He found pleasure in rattling the newbie, Demyx's nerves. The younger man (or more accurately, boy) was easily ticked off by Axel's antics, but he was such a wimp that the fight afterwards was a waste of time and effort, leaving Demyx annoyed and beaten, and Axel unsatisfied and unscathed. Despite this, Axel still enjoyed seeing the temper rise in the usually pacifist Melodious Nocturne when he made fun of his elemental abilities and, more specifically, his sitar, which was the younger Nobody's most precious belonging.

Lexaeus was rather fun to toy with as well, but was also a wasted effort due to his slowness caused by the bulk of his muscles. Axel was far too fast for the brute of a Nobody and the battle was almost useless for Axel. At least the older Nobody would manage to land a few painful hits on Axel's slimmer body with his greater experience in fighting, but never would Axel received the pain he wished he could from these battles, and soon Lexaeus was ignored by the redheaded chakra-wielder.

Vexen, Zexion, Saïx and especially Xemnas were all far too cool-headed or apathetic to Axel's cause to be even slightly annoyed by the fiery Nobody's taunts and teases. Xemnas called Axel's endeavours "immature, hopeless and a waste of energy", which the redhead scoffed at in return. Let the Superior think him hopeless and immature; he had other fish to fry. And besides, he knew they couldn't kick him out of the Organization for his antics; he was far to valuable a fighter to let go for something so juvenile.

This knowledge, however, prevented Xigbar and Xaldin from really giving Axel a good fight. Xaldin especially disliked Axel and would have had no problems in giving the younger Nobody a good beating if Xemnas hadn't ordered that he was not to be damaged in any way. Xaldin sometimes went against Xemnas' orders though and let himself give Axel a few deep cuts to remember him by, although he never left the battle without a few of his own. It was these "recreational" battles that Axel liked the most, feeding off of Xaldin's dislike for him and actually receiving a larger fraction of the pain he loved to feel.

Luxord and Marluxia arrived soon after and Axel found some enjoyment in playing Luxord's games, even when it wasn't a battle. But of course, he was never fully satisfied with the little time spent with Luxord. Marluxia, however, was a conniving little pansy-boy in Axel's honest opinion and the rare fights he wheedled out of the mostly calm scythe-wielder were quite interesting. Marluxia had no problem disregarding Xemnas' orders to leave Axel undamaged, especially since the fiery redhead knew exactly which buttons to press to get his temper flared. He was, however, rather good at keeping himself calm, cool, and collected when he got used to Axel's teasing and the battles became few and far between until they stopped altogether.

For some time, Axel was left on the verge of insanity, once again unable to feel. He couldn't get the same enjoyment out of causing himself pain, couldn't fascinate himself anymore by watching his own hand do the dirty work. He needed something else -- some other way to believe he could feel again...

And then _she_ came...

---------------------

Larxene was a sadistic bitch who loved watching others feel pain. Their faces contorted in agony gave Larxene some kind of sick pleasure and the sight of their blood flowing so gracefully from their fragile bodies was absolutely _euphoric_ to the blond Nobody. She supposed that watching others express feeling substituted for her lack thereof. Or maybe it was a reminder to her. A proof of existence.

She needed to know that the world around her was real. That she wasn't still stuck in that hell hole of darkness she'd found herself in when the heartless stole her heart away. She wandered the world, her mind barely holding on to reality, her being not really there, until she found herself in the Castle That Never Was. She couldn't quite remember how she came to be an Organization XII member, but it was better living -- or rather, existing, for isn't that what Nobodies really do instead? -- within the monotonously hued castle than in the nothingness she was in before.

When she first arrived, she was given her weapons and her element and she adored them. The sharp knives were perfect for drawing blood and the electricity running through her fingertips made her feel giddy with anticipation. It was a perfect torture device. She could choose to zap her victims to the point of exhaustion and watch their faces as their body ached from the harsh electrical waves, or she could, more preferably, paralyze them and still watch their faces as she pushed them inch by inch to the edges of their frail, pitiful lives. She often drew out her torture on her poor, unsuspecting victims when on heart-collecting missions. She'd steal their hearts, but she could keep them alive long enough to enjoy watching their agony and to hear their meek cries of pain. Larxene laughed at the wonder of it all.

Then she met _him_ one day. Larxene hadn't bothered to introduce herself to anyone. She'd only waste her time doing so if they happened to be her mission partner. And one day a fiery, spiky, redheaded man and fellow Organization member named Axel was assigned to collect hearts with her in Hallow Bastion. He appraised her, looking the blond up and down.

"You must be the new girl." Axel said redundantly, his voice holding an edge of a sneer.

Larxene smiled venomously at him, already knowing that she'd enjoy the company of this arrogant prick. "Yeah, and who are you?" she replied with the same edge to her voice.

He smirked, a gesture that annoyed Lerxene for some unfathomable reason, and said, "Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"

She would _definitely_ enjoy this asshole's company, she thought to herself.

When they were on their mission, however, they were all-business. She noticed Axel's focus in the task, how he so swiftly stole their hearts away without a second glance. He took no enjoyment in it, she noted when she saw his empty eyes, as if he did it out of necessity and only wished to get as many as possible in the least amount of time. She grabbed onto his arm as they made their way through an alley towards their next victim, showing a surprising amount of strength in her deceivingly small hands. The taller man looked down on her and simply raised a red eyebrow.

"You need to enjoy the pain." she said darkly and, without waiting for his reaction, she continued to the alleyway where they'd trapped their final victim.

Axel was somewhat confused to the woman's statement, but he followed her nonetheless. Of course he enjoyed the pain, but how would she know that about him? Then he realized what she was talking about when they descended on the frightened soul before them.

She wanted him to enjoy _their_ pain.

He stared in sick fascination at the screaming victim as Larxene dug her deadly knives ever so slowly into the pliable skin and muscle of the human before them. She deliberately missed any vitals, focusing solely on causing them brutal agony. She shocked the blades with electricity, causing the victim to twitch and contort their face in pain, their mouth open in a scream so intense that no sound came out at all. Axel looked at his comrades face to find an expression of absolute bliss and found himself wishing that it was directed at him.

But she was loving her task, taking pleasure in what she was doing. Never had Axel seen any member of the Organization look so happy as they took a heart. The torture was unnecessary to the job; hearts could be simply taken without a single wound from their chest, but this was joy for the Savage Nymph. He could see and almost feel her euphoria when she ran a gloveless hand across the blood-soaked body. He could almost imagine just how the sticky liquid would feel against fingertips unguarded by leather. And as if reading his mind, Larxene looked up at him with a devilish expression and beckoned him to join her.

He did, and he took off a glove as he kneeled to run his palm over the blood-slicked skin. The human was still breathing -- still alive -- their heart beating fast in desperation to live. In curiosity, he lit a fire with his hand and heated a blade, making the human writhe from the torture of the heated metal. Larxene laughed, her voice like bells, at the display before her and rested her head against the redhead's shoulder.

"You're a quick learner." she laughed, stroking his pale cheek with a blood-soaked hand. Axel watched intently as she ran her bloody fingers over her pale lips, covering them in a mock lipstick. She grinned, the crimson blood causing it to look more sinister, and kissed him on the cheek not yet covered in the red substance. Then she finally took the fluttering heart from the tortured victim's chest and they watched as it floated towards the sky to where Xemnas' Kingdom Hearts was growing.

The human was fading from existence, becoming a Heartless, but not before Larxene took her final pleasure in ripping her knives cruelly from their body to hear them cry out one last time. She laughed at their weakness and Axel smiled at the sound, almost laughing himself at such a scene. He didn't find as much bliss from watching the human writhe painfully as Larxene did, but he certainly found comfort in her sadism.

He did enjoy the pain. His pain. And he finally knew a way to get what he'd been so desperately searching for all this time.

Oh, he was going to have _so_ much fun with Larxene...

----------->>>

AN: I dunno what's gotten into me, but I guess I'll take a shot at some LarxenexAxel. I hope they're not too OOC since I haven't played KHII in so long and haven't played KH:CoM (I have seen cutscenes online for the Final Mix). Review please and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism, too, please, and I'll accept flames, although don't think I'll take it nicely. o.- 


	2. Chapter 2: Heated Desire

Chapter 2: Heated Desire

It was so easy to make her mad. Her temper was as heated as the pyro's fiery talents, almost effortlessly flared with the simplest of taunts. Axel and Larxene rarely crossed paths within the grand Castle That Never Was, but on the rare occasions that they found themselves alone together, Axel made it a point to annoy her to the point of fury. It didn't take much effort to get her riled up and ready to fight.

In the beginning, she would never be able to hit Axel. She was extremely fast, moving so swiftly that it seemed as if she teleported from one place to another in a single second, but Axel was more experienced in combat and she was not fortunate enough to even graze him with her kunai. Axel always wondered to himself why he never simply _let_ her slice him if he wanted to feel pain so badly, but he realized that the adrenaline from fighting also gave him some fraction of feeling. The anticipation of attack, the fire flowing through his veins; they were a part of the exhilaration not found in simply hurting himself.

She would throw her knives at him and slice at him with impossible swiftness, but he would block and parry her attacks with equal skill. Never would he really attack her though. Something in the back of his mind told him to leave her undamaged; that he could make her bleed later. He couldn't understand his hesitance to hurt her when they sparred and she didn't either.

"Why won't you just fucking _hurt_ me!?" she screamed at him when exhaustion overtook her and she was left kneeling on the floor before him. "I _know_ you can. I've seen you and Xaldin battle each other before." she continued, "So just do it. Hit me with one of those so-called weapons of yours." She waved her hand at the chakrams held in his firm grip.

"I know you'll enjoy it." Her voice held that constant edge of a sneer somewhat reminiscent of his own, the trace of a smirk always lining her lips. It was as if she was making a bet with him, testing his willpower.

Axel smirked at the woman before him, looking down at her with an air of arrogant superiority, before kneeling so that they were eye-level. Her aqua eyes never left his as he lowered himself to her; the defiance and dislike apparent in the blazing orbs.

"Oh, I know I'll enjoy it," Axel said, his own emerald eyes piercing hers with equal severity, "but I just can't bring myself to damage such a lovely face." His fingers grazed her chin, the smirk still playing on his features.

The flattery had the expected affect on her. She became angered again, her strength renewed as she lifted her deceptively small hand to strike his face, and he, to her surprise, let her land the blow. She knew that he could have stopped her from making the impact – it was such a predictable move – but her hand still slapped his cheek, the noise of it reverberating off the walls and the high ceiling of the grand corridor. She was strong despite her hands looking seemingly delicate, and the force of the slap had almost made Axel fall over. He'd caught himself though and when he looked back at her, she fully expected to see his features decorated with some measure of pain. The sight of it would have made her laugh with glee; he just frustrated her so much! But when she saw his face, and when his eyes found hers again, all she saw was pleasure, even when his own blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.

Larxene was dumbfounded to say the least, and the expression on Axel's face was not the sole cause. She found the contrast of the blood trailing down the pyro's skin and the pleased look in his eyes very, _very _enticing. She felt more pleasure in this than if he'd looked to be in pain, and she was further affected by him when he smiled mischievously.

"I've always wondered how that would feel." he said in a curious tone before disappearing through a portal of darkness, and leaving Larxene in utter confusion.

* * *

Larxene pondered the redheaded fire elementalist's reaction, and – though she wouldn't dare admit it – her own, as well, for the next few days. She kept hearing the echo of the slap in her mind and the words that had followed afterwards. She kept seeing that almost joyous expression upon his face and the trickle of blood flowing from his mouth whenever she closed her eyes. For days she wondered what exactly happened in that secluded hallway and, during that time, she wondered why she was so preoccupied with something that should otherwise be unimportant to her. The absurdity of it all was causing her great frustration. 

It really didn't take too long to come up with a theory for the strange occurance, but it did take her a day or two to decide if she really wanted to confront that infuriating redhead. He aggravated her enough when they were together, but now he seemed to have some tenure over her thoughts even when he was nowhere in sight, which frustrated her to no end. And all because she was finally able to strike him.

--

It was about a week later when Larxene and Axel's paths crossed again in the Castle That Never Was. The blond Nobody had been flipping through a book she'd come across called _Marquis de Sade_. The contents of the volume drew her in with its recount of the father of sadism's endeavors during his scandalous life. The things that he would do to those women were simply delicious to Larxene. Her imagination went past the vague, most likely censored descriptions of those unfortunate souls that fell into de Sade's hands. She saw more within her mind, picturing grotesque scenes full of blood-play and tortured, contorted faces as bodies squirmed beneath her red-stained fingertips. She could imagine with great clarity their screams and cries as she twisted and pulled their bodies with brutal intent, and she could taste the salty and coppery taste of their blood and tears on her tongue as if it were actually happening.

Her lovely fantasy however was interrupted by the sound of boots upon marble. She was on the upper balcony of the library, so the intruder hadn't noticed her presence yet as they strode across the smooth floor to a shelf not too far away from where she stood. The sight of unmistakenable spiky red hair made her smile slyly. This was a perfect chance for her to make her move and the book she'd just read had her inspired in some sick, demented way.

With typical swiftness, Larxene jumped from the balcony and appeared behind the intruder. She snaked her arms around his slim waist and stood on her toes so that her mouth brushed against his ear. Axel's body instantly went rigid with alertness, but loosened up by a fraction when he realized who it was behind him. The feel of her lips were unmistakenable, having already felt them upon his cheek not two months ago.

"I've got you figured out." Larxene whispered coyly in his ear, her lips grazing the sensitive flesh with each softly spoken word.

Axel chuckled quietly and reach behind him to gently tug on an antenna-like strand of golden hair. "My dear buggy," he said, grinning as he used the infuriating nickname, "I'm sure you hardly know anything at all."

Larxene scowled, but refused to lose her temper at this crucial moment. "Oh yeah?" she whispered, quiet as ever. She ran her hand over his stomach and across his chest and felt his body shiver slightly against her petite frame. She giggled at his reaction.

"I have the advantage this time." she practically growled before impaling a knife in his chest, where his heart should have been. He gasped in surprise and in brief pain. Larxene could feel his breath quicken, his chest rising and falling slightly faster beneath her hand which caressed the hilt of the kunai lodged within. She grabbed his chin roughly in her other hand and forced him to look at her. She studied his face carefully, seeing the constant flicker between pain and pleasure flutter across his features.

"You like this, don't you." It was more of a statement than a question. She nudged the knife ever so slightly with her finger and watched the two conflicting reactions play across his features, reveling in her sadistic glory.

"You're some kind of twisted masochist." she purred, stroking his cheek like she had the first time they'd met, once again smearing a bit of blood on the pale skin. Only this time, it was his own.

"And you're some kind of sick sadist." he hoarsely whispered, eyes hooded with the pleasure of feeling. At this moment, with the torturous blade piercing his flesh, he felt more alive than he ever had since he lost his heart.

Larxene giggled in her own menacing way. "Isn't this convenient?" she said, staring straight into those emerald eyes full of expression, "I think we're made for each other."

Axel hissed as she yanked the blade harshly from his chest, the blood flowing more easily from the open wound. She turned him around so that she could see the damage she'd done to the pyro and became excited by the glisten of blood flowing over the black Organization uniform. Wanting to feel the wound more thoroughly, she took off her glove and pushed her fingers through the torn fabric, but, to her disappointment, the wound was already healing.

"You heal too fast." she accused him, pressing her finger against the almost-closed wound, emitting a growl from the man before her. "Oh well," she said with a sadistic laugh, "I guess that just means that I have to make you bleed some more."

Axel watched her lick the blade covered in his blood and felt something stir deep within him. It was a curious sensation as his eyes stayed transfixed on her blue ones. She was gauging his reaction, he knew, and she seemed to be very satisfied by what she saw. Then she did something that he hadn't quite expected to happen so soon.

She kissed him. Hard.

The force of it was bruising, teeth clashing by the power of it. There was no kindness in the forceful kiss; no love, or gentleness. It was of pure carnal desire, of something akin to passion although Nobodies shouldn't even feel anything close to such. Larxene ran her tongue along his bottom lip and Axel gladly gave her the entrance she sought. They tasted each other, their tongues battling for dominance, their personalities clashing through this one moment of intimate contact. Their hands sought to feel the other's body. Larxene dug her sharp nails into the skin of Axel's neck, earning her a groan into her mouth, and in return, Axel harshly grabbed a fistful of blond locks in his large hand. She growled deeply, the animalism apparent in the brutal contact and they both reveled in the unrelenting feel of each other.

Pain was a magnificent feeling, but _this_... this was something else entirely. It was pain and pleasure of a greater extent and it was _exquisite_. When the unlikely pair finally broke apart, lips swollen and bruised and at a loss of breath, they stared into each other's eyes with great intensity and smiled in an unspoken agreement.

They would have to do this more often.

But next time, they wouldn't be so gentle...

--- ---

AN: I dunno about this chapter. I hope I didn't lose the feel of the previous chapter. I tried to keep them in character, I swear. o.o Anyway, I'd like to thank the few generous people who reviewed, and added this to their story alert or favorites. I greatly appreciate it.

I'm also rather nervous about the lemon. It'll be my first, so I hope I don't disappoint...

Also, remember to please review if you like the story. Or even if you don't. Tell me what's good, what's bad, and all the rest. Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3: All Around Me

Chapter 3: All Around Me

Axel hadn't thought about sex very often since he became a Nobody. In fact, he had admittedly forgotten about such carnal pleasure during his time being without a heart. It wasn't as if there was anything to fuel his desire in the Castle That Never Was, what with all the other inhabitants being male and him being entirely straight.

Of course, that changed once he knew what Larxene felt like against his lips. That rough kiss they'd shared in the library had revealed more than any words could to both of the Nobodies. It revealed the want and the need that pulsed through their bodies, and had ultimately awaken something raging inside them that could only be soothed by the one thing they still understood. Larxene had found her perfect plaything and Axel had found someone who desired feeling just as much as he did.

It was always a power struggle between the two Nobodies. They were both dominating and arrogant, and so their encounters were never gentle. They always fought against each other -- especially when it came to sex – struggling against submission and battling for domination. But in truth they were both submissive, if not to each other. They yielded to their desires, giving themselves in to the euphoria found in their physical contact. It always began with the usual taunt or tease from one or the other and it always ended with them entwined in the most intimate way, bloodied and bruised, but satisfied beyond satisfaction.

The first time was a sight to behold. It was a few days after the library incident when Larxene found herself wandering to Axel's room in the castle. She hadn't even cared to knock before she pushed the large monotonously hued door open, although it would have been a wasted effort since its usual inhabitant hadn't yet returned from God knows where. The blond Nobody merely kicked the door closed and flopped down on the large bed covered in crimson sheets. She produced a book from her standard Organization coat and made herself comfortable among the pillows. It was the same book she'd read at the library the other day, _Marquis de Sade_, the original sadist's life story unfailingly astonishing and inspiring Larxene with the gory details. The time passed and her focus became so solely fixed on the words of the volumous novel that she hadn't noticed another presence enter the room. It was only when she saw a gloved hand come into her line of sight and grab the book from her own hands that she'd realized that Axel had finally arrived.

"Ah, such appropriate reading material for everyone's favorite sadist." Axel said with a chuckle when he read the title. He didn't even seem even slightly surprised to find her in his room, as if he'd known she'd show up eventually.

Larxene ignored the comment and decided against attempting to swipe the book from the redhead's hands, which were flipping through the volume's contents as his eyes quickly skimmed the pages. "Gee, you sure took long doing God knows what." Larxene said, her smirk hiding her initial annoyance at the man before her.

Axel didn't aknowledge her snide remark and continued to skim through de Sade's life story. "Heh, Buggy," he said, once again using the nickname that infuriated her so, "I think this guy makes you look like a saint." He laughed at the glare he received from the easily-frustrated woman that sat on the edge of his bed.

"He'll beat you in sadism any day."

Instead of a heated retort or another piercing glare, Axel saw a sinister smile cross her features. "You wanna bet on that?" she asked in a low, dangerous voice, her eyes looking up at him with one of the darkest and most enticing expressions he'd ever seen. He noticed how her hand had begun to make its way across his chest.

Ah, so the games were finally beginning, he thought to himself.

"Actually, I think I do." he whispered, leaning closer to her until his lips were grazing her jaw. He thought he felt her tremble slightly, but it was such a brief movement that it might have just been his imagination.

"Show me what you're made of, Larxene." his lips whispered against her smooth skin.

The sound of her name coming from his voice and the feeling of his lips on her sensitive flesh awoke a heat deep inside her that burned to feel _more_. Without a second thought, she grabbed Axel's hair and crushed her lips against his. It was reminiscent of their time in the library, but this one held more passion and more fury. It was full of lust and uninhibited desire, wonderful shocks of electricity flowing through Axel's body as a heat as strong as fire pulsed through Larxene's veins. She moaned when Axel roughly pulled her from the bed by her thin waist and crushed her body to his with bruising force. But Larxene was not be undone by this simple man. She would not yield to him without a fight. He wanted to see what she was made of? Then he would see it all – every single thing she was capable of doing to him.

She bit his bottom lip painfully, tasting his delicious blood on her tongue. He broke away from her, laughing even as his lip throbbed in pain. "You're sure feisty." he teased, "But you could do better."

Larxene growled, her hands impossibly fast as she disposed of Axel's jacket and shirt, leaving his body exposed and vulnerable to her. She grinned wickedly and Axel grinned right back as her hands explored the contours of his pale, toned body. He expected the hidden blade in her sleeve to impale him, but when the knife made it's way into his flesh, he still let out a surprised gasp of pain. She'd struck him in his side and giggled at the reaction she received.

"I thought you were sharper than that." Larxene taunted as she produced another knife from her sleeve. She shoved Axel against a white-washed wall and pressed her hips against his, feeling his desire for her through the fabric of his pants. She giggled again when she ground her hips against him, producing a groan from the redheaded man.

"Watch me, Axel." Larxene commanded, showing him the knife. The light glinted wickedly off the sharp blade as its tip ran across the skin of his chest. He watched in sick fascination as the knife cut deep into his skin, beads of crimson seaping from the wound. His face screwed up in pain, but he never stopped watching as Larxene bent over to run her tongue across the bleeding cut. He couldn't decide which he found more incredible: the wonderful mix of pain and pleasure, or the fascinating enjoyment Larxene took in tasting him.

"Wanna try?" Larxene asked teasingly, holding up an bare finger wet with his blood to Axel's lips.

He laughed and simply replied, "You're sick."

Larxene pouted in mock disappointment before smirking evily. "Oh well," she said with a shrug, "I guess that just means that there's more for me."

Then she started sucking her fingers in a very arousing fashion. The erotic display was all that he could handle. Axel couldn't take it any longer. He had to have her. _Now_.

He grabbed her by her upper arms bruisingly and spun around to slam her against the wall he'd just occupied. Her breath was knocked out of her briefly and she hissed in pain when her head made jarring impact with the hard surface.

"Geez, you're sure gentle." Larxene muttered sarcastically.

"Shut up." Axel growled as he quickly disposed of all that she wore. Her body was bare to him now; exposed and so very enticing. Axel licked his lips hungrily before leaning his head to her ear.

"And here I thought you didn't have any curves." he whispered with a smirk on his lips that she didn't have to see to know it was there.

"Why you--" She would have said something else, but her train of thought was cut off when Axel's hand found a very nice place to explore. She moaned quietly and began to move in response to his touch when her natural instinct to refuse to submission took over, and she made quick work of his pants so that she could regain control of the situation.

Passion was heightened in the next moments. The power struggle began; the test of wills fought by both Nobodies. They refused to give in to each other. To let the other control them. It was a savage dance, the thrashing of bodies and the entanglement of limbs. Blood and sweat and pure, agonizing bliss was all they could feel, their senses overwhelmed by the scent, feel, and taste of each other. Lightning and fire, electricity and flames. It was all around them, coursing inside them, and they reveled in the exhilaration of pain and pleasure.

But even as Axel thrust into the Savage Nymph, her nails digging so painfully deep into the flesh of his back, and even as she rocked her hips against his with such force that they were sure to both be sore the morning after, they knew that there was something more beneath the physicality of it all. There was something else; something with deeper meaning. They couldn't understand it, and they feared what the truth may be. They were afraid to face the deeper facets of this moment they'd found; to know what it meant to truly _feel_. They'd gone too long without hearts -- without emotions -- to comprehend them.

Axel and Larxene, two Nobodies with one purpose in each other: to feel, even for a moment. But could they really handle anything more than what they already understood? The question always passed through both their minds – even subconciously -- when they lay side by side, breathing heavily, and too weary to say anything. And the answer was never certain, for the truth was they could never really be certain at all.

But what they were certain of was that they were addicted. And like many addictions...

... It could very well lead to their destruction.

* * *

AN: So here's the third chapter! I originally planned to put slightly more detail into the actual sex part of the scene, but I think it was better left somewhat vague, with some description, so as to not stray from the real meaning of the story.

If you didn't recognize the title of the chapter, it was inspired by the song "All Around Me" by a great band called Flyleaf. They're something like heavy rock, if being part of the Family Values Tour with KoRn gives any indication as to what kind of music they play. Anyway, I thought that the song was good for this chapter for what it's about, although it is somewhat ironic since it also talks about healing a damaged heart.

"This fire runs in through my being

Burning, I'm not used to seeing you

I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me

Thickening the air I'm breathing

Holding on to what I'm feeling

Savoring this heart that's healing"

Those lines remind me most of this chapter. You should listen to the song. And it's not just the lyrics, but the way she sings those lyrics that make me think of Axel and Larxene's strange, mutual desperation to feel.

Anyway, I'm done raving about the song. Review please if you'd like. Seeing the review alert e-mail in my inbox gives me unimagineable joy. I'll even throw in a virtual chocolate candy for your efforts :P


	4. Chapter 4: The Meaning of Promises

Chapter 4: The Meaning of Promises

There was no such thing as pillow talk for Axel and Larxene. They fought, and they fucked, but when that was done, they simply parted ways until the next time their cravings took over. They had no other use for each other besides a means to feel something in the emptiness of being a Nobody. It wasn't as if they loved each other; as if they were even capable of such a feat. Yet, even so, there was always that undertone of that strange, ignored _something_ that accompanied their physical enjoyment of each other. And as always, neither of them decided to confront it, although they both knew the feeling was mutual. It was an unspoken rule.

Larxene sometimes liked to draw out her sadistic games even after they were done riding the throes of passion. It was such a moment as she straddled Axel's naked waist, lightly running her knives across the bare, vulnerable skin. She traced the contours of each lean muscle, putting enough pressure to make cuts so shallow that they hardly had time to bleed before they healed. It was rather timid compared to the other things the Savage Nymph liked to do to him, but even the smallest of pains such as this caused pleasured shivers to course through his body. Sometimes she liked to dig deeper, and the scars left by the more grisly slashes ran all along his pale skin, mostly across his chest, although Larxene was never one to leave any place untouched.

"I think you're in need of a heart." she murmured, lazily dragging the blade across the area of skin just above where his heart should have been, teasing the flesh with enough pressure to make it taste the cold steel without drawing blood.

"Aren't we all?" Axel muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes at the obviousness of the statement. The blond Nobody hadn't come back with some snippy comment or a snide remark, but instead giggled. And that could only mean one thing.

"Close your eyes." she whispered commandingly. The redhead stubbornly glared back at her, emerald eyes defiantly daring her to make him.

The pyro saw the manacles reflect the light for a split second before just barely evaded their grasp. Larxene chuckled menacingly and made a move to get a hold of his wrists, but Axel skillfully dodged the metal cuffs and agiley maneuvered himself from under her body. She huffed in annoyance after picking herself up from her fallen position and located her knives. It was time for some target practice.

Her kunai sliced through the air with swift precision. She had incredible aim, but Axel was incredibly skilled in evasion. He dodged the blades, always getting away a millisecond before they made a deafening noise on impact with the object or wall he'd just been in front of. The Flurry of Dancing Flames had to admit that she'd gotten more skilled with her weapons as he just barely dodged a sharp knife, the blade grazing his skin enough to make a superficial cut. And he was definitely impressed when she'd disappeared from his sight and one suddenly impaled his stomach, the move unpredictable in its abrupt swiftness.

In his surprise and distraction from the pain, Larxene appeared behind him and snaked her arms around his lean torso. Axel groaned when she rubbed a rather sensitive appendage with her small hand as she lightly twisted the knife impaled in his stomach with the other. She never did like to play fair, he thought to himself sardonically.

"Now," she growled dangerously in his ear, nipping it softly with her soft lips, "you be a good boy and close your eyes."

Axel found himself shackled to her steel bedposts with a blindfold over his eyes in a matter of seconds. "Ooh, someone's getting kinky." he teased. That earned him a nice slap on the cheek and a sweetly spoken "Shut up." She also yanked out the knife from his stomach, earning her a groan and a "Fuck you" from the stubborn redhead.

The pyro had to admit that this was kind of turning him on, even if he didn't really like the position he was in. With his sight impaired for the moment, his other senses became heightened to an extent -- moreso his sense of touch. All he could do was feel and it was as if he was seeing with his body. He could imagine the attractive smirk that he knew was on Larxene's delicious lips and the look of her body straddling him. He felt the velvet smoothness of her thighs contrast with the chilling edge of her knife and he found himself becoming unbelievably aroused by this.

"I promise it will be a masterpiece." she murmured against his neck, her breath tickling his skin. Before he could ask what the hell she meant, he felt the blade slice deep into his skin, where he knew his heart would have been had he had one. The pain was increased tenfold, his lack of vision compensated by heightened touch. The exquisite pulse of fiery blood pouring from the deep wound made him writhe in agonized bliss. Larxene was giggling at the sight of the man beneath her, his pain causing her such great delight.

Axel's vision returned in an invasion of blinding light. He squinted against the abrupt flash of brightness and noticed the fresh tendrils of crimson against pale skin seeping from a still-open wound in his chest. The droplets of blood leaked from a shape carved into his skin that caused him to chuckle in spite of the pain.

"A fucking heart, Larxene?" he choked out incredulously.

"I told you that you needed one. Isn't it beautiful?" she asked teasingly.

He had to admit that it really was beautiful though. Albeit, in a very sick, demented way. The sight of the perfect, bleeding heart on his chest held a certain beauty to it incomparable by even the greatest artists. Its smooth edges were the deepest scarlet, but the blood that leaked from them filled the inside with its bright, shining color. The droplets that escaped the confines of the shape rolled down below it, leaving a trail of crimson that traced the creases of muscle across his torso. It really was a masterpiece in its macabre glory.

And it was as close as Axel would ever get to having a heart.

Suddenly he was overwhelmed with need, but not for the usual things he required from his sadistic companion. He needed a heart. A real, living heart.

His heart.

Larxene saw it in his eyes; knew the thoughts and desires flickering past those emerald orbs, and felt it, too. She wanted to be fully alive. She wanted more than this shadow of existence she was in. She wanted to feel the beat of life in her chest again. Shock was what she felt as this realization crept into her mind. Of course, the Savage Nymph had always known her goal in working in the Organization, but never had she needed it so _badly_.

For the first time in her non-life, Larxene was truly and utterly afraid.

"Promise me that we'll find our hearts together, Larxene." the usually sarcastic and arrogant Nobody asked – almost pleaded. There was a surprising gentleness in his voice that compelled the Apathetic Princess to agree despite her fear and uncertainty.

"I promise, Axel." she whispered, her voice choked and confused, before laying her hand on the bleeding heart and disappearing into a portal of darkness.

They'd finally realized what that unspoken something was that existed between them; the desire and need that reached far beyond their physical connection. But they should have known better.

Promises mean nothing when you don't have a heart.

* * *

AN: Here's the fourth chapter. My lord, these things are getting shorter each time! It was actually gonna be longer, but I decided that I like how it ends without the extra scene. That will be for next chapter.

Anyway, I hope this one was satisfactory. I don't know if their personalities might be just a bit off in this one, especially by the end, so I'd just like it if someone would help me out here by telling me if there's anything wrong with the chapter and, if so, what I should do about it.

Oh yeah, and I'd just like to thank again all of you that reviewed and added this to your favorites or alerts. You've all been very motivating for me and I really think this will be the first multichapter story that I'll finish in so many years. Because of you. Yeah, you all should feel very special right about now :P

Anyway, review please, as always. And I apologize for this being so short.

PS: Because my internet's being an asshole, this was submited a little later than intended. I was gonna update last night, but my internet was all fucked up and made me pissed, so yeah. Anyway, it's here now, so no need to fret. ;;


	5. Chapter 5: Selfish Distractions

Chapter 5: Selfish Distraction

Xemnas looked excited. It was a strange sight – and a rare one at that – to see the Superior's features brightened by such unretainable anticipation. He must have had some really good news, especially since he'd called all eleven Organization members to gather with him in their grandest conference room.

Axel teleported himself to the eighth seat – his seat – and watched with an unsurprised smirk as Larxene perched herself on the ninth one beside him. She could be as much of a pain in the ass as he was to the other Organization members, finding amusement in rattling Number IX's usually passive nerves. The blond Nobody smiled wickedly at the sitarist as he entered the grand room. Demyx frowned deeply when he saw her occupying his seat, but was too terrified of the ruthless Savage Nymph to confront her, and sighed quietly in defeat before teleporting himself to the twelfth seat. It was there that he noticed a new chair in the circular room. A thirteenth chair.

The Superior made his appearance the last out of all the members, his portal of darkness swirling ominously as he teleported into the tallest and most notable seat in the room. His face was held in his usual cool expression, but his amber eyes were burning with feverish excitement. The time of the Organization's rise to power was nearing, and his plans were already forming in his head. But there would come another time to discuss such matters. Right now, he needed to convey the importance of his latest news.

"My fellow Organization members," he addressed the black-cloaked Nobodies before him, "the time for our dominance is arriving. Our moment of victory is almost here! Feel your empty chests and remember the void you so detest so that you may feel the true euphoria of regaining your hearts."

At this, Axel's attention peaked. He'd never listened so intently to the Superior in his non-life.

"We will be acquiring a new member soon enough: Number XIII." Xemnas announced in a resonating voice. Everyone's interest was hightened by this development. They'd never had a meeting in this room to discuss a mere Nobody's arrival prior to this one, so the Superior must have believed this new addition to be quite important. But what could this new Unknown do that the rest of them could not?

"He has a power beyond ours." he continued, "The light has chosen him as its wielder. He is the Keyblade's Chosen."

The silver-haired man assessed his comrades expressions and delighted himself in what he saw. Various levels of intrigued curiosity and outright shock played across their features. He knew that they understood exactly the importance of their new member, and he knew that they would all fall into their perfect positions in his own plans.

"But how could that be?" Vexen finally asked the question that they were all asking themselves. Xemnas grinned knowingly at this and chuckled shortly under his breath.

"Surely a man such as yourself who claims great intelligence would have figured it out by now." he said in a somewhat demoralizing way. If it was anyone else, the Chilly Alchemist would have gave an indignant retort, but this was the Superior, and so he took the small jab to his ego in silence.

"The Keyblade chooses who will wield it by the strength of their heart. So tell me how it could have chosen someone who doesn't even possess a heart at all?" the Superior asked his followers.

The silence was broken by the one he hadn't expected to answer. "His Other is Sora," Marluxia said, "isn't he, Superior?"

"Your competence on the matter amazes me, to say the least, but – rather surprisingly – you are quite correct, Number XI." he said in a voice that conveyed boredom even in his surprise. "Our young enemy was once turned into a Heartless when I toyed with him all those years ago, and he seems to have produced a Nobody who mirrors his own capabilities.

"Now, this Unknown will find himself here in a week or so, but he will remember nothing of his life as Sora. Do not tell him anything about his Other; he is not to know that the Keyblade is a weapon that can be used against the darkness. He will not even know that he does not have a heart and he will not even begin to understand what it means to regain one.

"He is a key. An incredible asset to our plans. One little flaw – one single mistake – can ruin us all. We could only hope to use him as a puppet, for he is a threat to us with his link to Sora as much as he is a blessing to our motives."

With that final note, the Superior disappeared, an eerie smile present on his features and the

assurance of his followers' loyalty in his mind; the meeting was adjourned.

* * *

The days went by, the members of Organization XII – soon to be Organization XIII – awaiting the arrival of their key member, as Xemnas so frequently referred to him as. There was an anxious silence of preoccupation that had fallen upon the castle. But no one was as silently preocuppied as Axel was.

The usually energetic pyro found himself doubting the Superior, his demeanor troubled and his mind in confusion. It wasn't something rare, doubting the Superior, but it was usually for frivolous things such as whether Demyx is really fit to do a simple mission, or if he really didn't need food in his Nobody stomach (which was true so far). Never had he questioned Xemnas' grand plans though. It had always been a simple thing to do: follow the plan, obey the Superior's orders, and in return, regain his lost heart. So far everything was going perfectly for the Organization and everything seemed to be falling in to place just as they'd planned. Why then was there something nagging him in the back of his mind? Why was there this inexplicable fear that something would go completely and utterly _wrong_?

The vison of a dying Nobody burned itself into his mind. It came in a flash, fleeting and vague, but the shock of blond hair and electric blue eyes. He knew what he was afraid of, but he wouldn't – couldn't – acknowledge it. She meant nothing to him, the heartless pyro told himself. His first priority was to regain his heart. If she happened to die for his cause, however selfish the thought may be, then so be it.

Somehow he couldn't fully believe that...

Larxene might occassionally find herself as deeply brooding as her usually fiery comrade if she didn't watch herself. While Axel's mind dwelled on his own troubled thoughts, she opted to keep herself safely away from such thoughts in fear of losing sight of her purpose...

She'd been watching him after the meeting – studying his features from a distance – not knowing what exactly she was looking for. The blond Nobody always knew that the only thing he wanted was a heart. This was the kind of news he'd been aching to hear for as long as she'd known him, and yet there he sat in the lower floor of the grand library with an expression of such uncertainty! As she pondered in her perplexity, a portal of darkness opened behind her and she left the pyro to brood in his distracted silence.

Someone was waiting for her in her large bedroom. It wasn't a surprise to see Marluxia, the Graceful Assassin, standing in the middle of the bleak whiteness of the room, his black Organization coat and shock of pink hair standing out against it like a random, flowery drawing in the middle of a blank page. Larxene didn't spend her every moment with Axel – only the ones of uncontrolable lust – and those in which he wasn't her knives' canvas or when he wasn't fucking her to blissful soreness were those in which Marluxia came into the picture. Of course, they had their own personal itinerary, although it didn't involve such carnal desires; their plans called for an alternative use of each other's company – as did Number XI's sexual preferences.

"Has Axel tired of your sadistic games, Larxene, or have you managed to kill the poor fellow?" Marluxia said by way of greeting.

"Have your plants tired of your coddling, Marluxia, or have you managed to scare them lifeless with your absolute gayness?" Larxene retorted in a mocking tone, spitting his name out with a scowl. "Fuck off, I'm not in the mood." she muttered angrily as an after note.

"Ah, but you know as well as I do that you'd more likely kill Axel than I could kill my babies." Marluxia replied condescendingly, "Besides, darling, I really would like to be fucking some lovely fellow right now instead of being with a female such as yourself. Lord knows I have much better taste in men than you." At this, the Savage Nymph's scowl deepened, if it was at all possible, and was about to pull out her knives if the man before her hadn't continued so quickly.

"We have matters to discuss, Number XII." The sneering tone was gone, replaced by a seriousness that implied business with every syllable. Larxene loosened her stance and retracted her hand from the sleeve where her knives were hidden, although she continued to glare daggers at the Graceful Assassin. Satisfied by the fractionally less hostile demeanor of his vicious companion, Marluxia continued. "I've heard of a new development."

"Did the Superior cry it out to you in his bedroom last night?" the Savage Nymph asked bitingly, knowing the fully greusome extent of Marluxia and the Superior's relationship.

The Graceful Assassin simply smirked in defiance and answered, "Yes, actually. Would you like to hear the details, or do you wish for me to continue?" The slight shudder of disgust he received made him smile and assume that it was the latter.

She was grateful for Marluxia's close relations with the Superior, but she was not _that_ grateful.

"The Superior has informed me that after the arrival of our new member and the assessment of his abilities, there will be a relocation of six members to a castle away from here." he said, "We are to keep an eye on a new Nobody with some special abilities linked to Sora and prepare for his inevitable arrival to the location. It is here that our plans should initiate. Away from the Superior's eyes and ears, we could overthrow him without much hindrance. I suspect some puppetry will be in store for the boy..."

Larxene smiled deviously then; everything was falling into the palms of her merciless hands. She'd been doubting the Superior lately and her place in the Organization. She somehow knew that her heart meant nothing to their leader. She was disposable, and the Superior would inevitably dispose of her once her usefulness had used itself up. Larxene could not and would not let that happen, and in her internal vengefulness, she sought out the only one as low in the Organization ranks as she to vent: Number XII, Marluxia.

Who knew that a raging rant could become something of a conspiracy?

He was so willing to go with her ideas, having already shared similar thoughts on the matter, and a grander plot was formed before either of them could stop themselves. Their plans were not solid, she would admit, but it was all about circumstance and opportunities. And this was and this was just the circumstance and opportunity that she needed.

"Has the Superior specified which members will be transfered to this location?" the blond Nobody inquired.

"Of course," Marluxia replied, "you and I will be a part of the ensemble, along with Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, and... Axel." At the mention of the pyro's name, Larxene's eyes flashed dangerously.

"I specifically told you not to include him in our plans!" she practically screamed. If this conversation hadn't called for secrecy, she could have loudly berated and throttled the infuriatingly calm man before her. Instead, she settled with channeling her rage into sparks of aimless lightning that angrily crackled around her.

Marluxia was, quite frankly, surprised at the Savage Nymph's reaction. "I hadn't expected that you'd get so angered by this." he said warily, the sparks of electricity coming a little too close for comfort. "Before you do anything rash, darling, you must know that I really did try to convince Xemnas otherwise, but he is just so bent on keeping Axel in the party what with him being his best member. I don't see why he just doesn't make him Lord...

"But I _do_ have to know something from you." he said in a curious tone, "Why exactly do you care if Axel is a part of our plans?"

Larxene was silent. Not because she was being stubborn, although she tried to convince herself that was the case. No, it was because she didn't have an answer to the question. Why _did_ she care so much about where Axel stood in her plans? She had no trouble sacrificing a few Organization members and, in her sadistic nature, she rather relished in the thought of some blood being spilt during their uprising. So why couldn't she accept that Axel might be a sacrifice as well? In the back of the Savage Nymph's mind an answer tried to claw its way into her thoughts in memories of a bloody heart and passionate need, but she kept it at bay, fearing what it might mean.

Marluxia studied the woman's somewhat troubled expression and smiled slyly. "I see." he said in a voice that suggested he knew something she didn't. "Well, I have matters to attend to." he announced, not waiting for her words, "Duty calls." He began conjuring a dark portal.

"Don't go slipping our plot to your beloved Superior when he fucks you tonight." she muttered angrily, not liking that the Graceful Assassin might see something she didn't wish to see in herself. He only laughed at her as the darkness swirled behind him.

"Silly woman," he said mockingly, "we both know that I care only about the Superior's power. Love means nothing to me without a heart. Now you, my dear... I think we should worry about you more than me. Why _do_ you care so much about Axel?"

It wasn't a question he waited to be answered. He left the white bedroom, his laughter still ringing even after he was gone. Larxene knew that the question was more personal than his previous one. It wasn't why she cared about him in their plans, but more why she cared about him at all. And she knew she couldn't answer it without losing sight of her goals. She was a Nobody, dammit, and Nobodies don't feel.

That night, when Axel sought her out to distract himself from his brooding thoughts, she found herself distracted by a certain unanswered question, and she wished she didn't need him so much.

* * *

**AN: **Hello to the few of you beloved readers who have stayed with this story for these past chapters. I'm sooooo sorry for taking so long to update! I hit a dead end for a while. I _did_ know where I was going with this story, but I couldn't get the sequencing and the words right. It came out in a garbled mess the first time. I hope it isn't so bad now. I think I'm losing their characters though. Too needy, maybe. What do you think?

I can't say I particularly enjoyed writing this chapter. I really hate fillers, y'know? It may have seemed boring, but I swear that I tried to make it as interesting as possible. The real action – or whatever it is that will be happening – will come in the next chapter or so. I have the perfect ending planned, and I _promise_ that I'll finish this.

So, to my small amount of wonderfully faithful readers, I ask you to please bear with me as my updates will be fewer and further between. School has come back to plague me, and my schedule is tight with stupid academics and my social life.

Thank you all who've read this story. Just seeing that it has hits makes me happy. Alerts make me ecstatic. And reviews... oh, reviews are pure HEAVEN for me D

**PS:** Did I use the word "fuck" and its variations far too many times in this one? o.o;;


	6. Interlude: Betwixt and Between

Interlude: Betwixt and Between

Swirling grey. It was everywhere, like an endless screen of smoke. Shapes danced in the haze of nothingness, fluttering back into the grey void just as its blurry outline would become somewhat distinguishable. Fleeting, yet eternal.

_Where am I?_

A pair of bright azure eyes opened to the bleak world of this grey endlessness. They stared at the formless shapes that evaded their sight and at the expanse of pure _nothing_ that stretched as far as they could see. They looked down at the equally bland rags that donned the body to which they belonged and noticed a weight upon its hands. Two key-shaped blades lay in the palms of those foreign-feeling members: one of white purity and one of dark mystery. The hands turned the blades over, learning the feel of the weapons that they'd so mysteriously come to aquire.

Nothing made sense here. There was no reason – no memory – as to how the person came to be here. There was no sense of time with its eternal nothingness. There was no identity, either. No sense of being; only numbness. The figure that stood there questioned everything about the place. They could be an old man, for all they could remember, but there was a youthful energy within and an indistinguishable desire aching to be fulfilled. Something compelled those hands to swing the blades against the screen of grey, and, as they cut through the void, the darkness beyond was revealed.

Obsidian tendrils weaved themselves through the air, surrounding a doorway to darkness. The person stepped without hesitation into the strange space beyond the threshold, the entrance closing behind them without a sound. It was like a corridor of pitch dark, with so many paths to go along. The person gazed at all the choices of direction, but there was something that pulled them along one specific path, unhindered in its forceful leading to wherever the road went.

It seemed to continue on forever – not that time was of much importance to one who possesses no memory or identity. Their legs followed without choice along the path that this force led them, and after an eternity of waiting, they stepped through another threshold: an exit. A Castle stood forbodingly before the empty sky blue eyes, and twelve black-cloaked figures stood at the top of a grand staircase, staring down at the newly arrived boy.

He was finally here.

"Welcome to Organization XIII, Roxas."

* * *

AU: Hey my beloved readers. I realize that, to those of you who care, the long wait for this chapter is, admittedly, quite the disappointment. I went through many drafts of this chapter and it was originally going to continue into the next part of the story, but then I had no idea what I wanted to do with it anymore and I ended up leaving it old and forgotten on my computer hard drive.

As you can see, this is obviously an interlude, so I'll try to get the REAL chapter 6 up, okay? I made a promise to finish this and I intend to keep it.

Please bear with me, I'm really trying. Just don't expect updates to be as quick as during the summer, when time was plentiful. Thank you all

-CT


	7. Chapter 6: The Key of Light

**Chapter 6:**** The Key of Light**

Roxas stood upon a balcony, staring at the dark expanse of the World That Never Was. The city and its shadowy buildings looked almost fake, as if it truly never was. He'd been at the castle for a few days. Or maybe it had been weeks. Time didn't really seem to be of consequence when one was not truly alive.

That's what they'd told him, that he wasn't really alive. Or, at least, that's what he'd deciphered from the Superior telling him that he hadn't a heart. It was a strange phenomenon, to be sure, yet it made sense when he felt so incredibly empty. And yet, even with the knowledge and _feeling_ of emptiness within his body, there was still something tugging at his soul within that cried for him to believe he was something more than a Nobody.

"Enjoying the view, kid?" A voice spoke from behind the still figure. Azure eyes caught sight of a tall, lean man with absurdly spiky flame-red hair dressed in the standard Organization uniform. He had a laid-back sort of composure in the way he stood leaning casually against the archway, and a taunting expression that seemed to be glued to his face, yet the gleam in his almost glowing green eyes told Roxas that this man was lethal.

Roxas inclined his head ever so slightly before turning away, a gesture the taller man took to be a yes despite the movement's minuteness. He walked over to the edge and looked in the general direction his company seemed to be staring at. Whatever it was he was observing sure as hell didn't look any different than anything else there was to see. Shrugging, he regarded the blond haired kid and decided to get down to business.

"Name's Axel. A-X-E-L," he said by way of his typical introduction, "Got it memorized?"

The boy turned his head and regarded Axel with eyes that inwardly laughed. "Roxas. R-O-X-A-S," he replied, his tone somewhat mocking, "Got it memorized?"

Axel grinned despite the boy's mockery. He had a sense of humor and it was about time someone made him laugh around here besides Larxene, and she made him laugh in other ways than pure companionable humor. But this was not time for idle chat. There was business to attend to, hearts to steal and a certain Keyblade wielder's powers to be evaluated.

"The Superior ordered that I summon you for your first assignment, so here I am," the pyromancer informed Roxas.

"What kind of assignment?" he asked suspiciously. During his introduction to the Castle, Roxas had not been informed at the exact kind of operations this Organization did, but he saw hearts floating to the great heart-shaped moon every now and then, and he overheard other members speaking of some kingdom of sorts. The malicious tone in which they spoke when it came to those hearts was intriguing, to say the least, and Roxas was curious, and somewhat apprenhensive, although he wouldn't admit it.

He received no answer from the older Organization member except an odd smirk and a wave of his gloved hand as he disappeared through a portal of darkness, indicating for the boy to follow. Roxas wondered at the familiar doorway – the very same kind of portal that brought him to this castle – as he stepped through it. The inside was a maze of shadowy corridors and he was sure he'd have lost his way had he not caught sight of a speck of red in the distance. He ran along the path, anticipating a long journey like his previous one, but this one was considerably shorter for he stumbled into a bright room atop a ridiculously high pedestal. Looking down to the white void below, he was filled with a sense of vertigo, but he ripped his eyes away from the fall and tried to regulate his breathing.

A harsh feminine laugh resounded to his right and Roxas saw it belonged to a blond woman with a pretty face, but acid eyes and a venom smirk. She sat upon a pedestal next to Axel's, regarding him with an unreadable, yet malevolent, expression. A vast array of characters surrounded him, all their physical attributes out of the ordinary and all with an air of danger to them. The members of Organization XIII. None looked as dangerous though as the man who sat atop the highest pedestal of the whole room. The Superior.

"I believe it's time for you to show us your abilities, Roxas," the Superior's deep voice resonated through the chamber.

At first, Roxas was confused. He opened his mouth to ask what that meant when he felt a tug on his mind. He snapped his eyes shut and fell.

Roxas didn't know how he came to be in this grand, barren hall. He had fallen from his pedestal in that strange meeting room, a sadistic laugh following him down into the white abyss. Somehow he came to stand in another room entirely just as he was sure he was about to die. He studied the marble floors and plain walls and noticed something peculiar happening to their surfaces. They rippled and moved like watery silver until tendrils of white shadows took form. They all took on shapes like quicksilver and they stood as if dancing in place, their limbs always swaying from side to side. An insignia was burned into their flesh (if you could even call it that), and Roxas noticed it to be the very same one representing the Castle That Never Was.

The shapes advanced and Roxas became scared. Their zip-up mouths lolled about, their jaws hanging without purpose as their swaying pointy members flashed death. Suddenly, an intense surge of pain rushed to Roxas' head and he fell to his knees screaming. There were memories, but he couldn't be sure if they were his or another's. Flashes of light. Dying darkness. His hands itched to slice at the shadows. When he opened his eyes, he saw the two key-shaped blades gripped tightly in his hands. They were perfect and familiar, the purity of the white and the obsidian black. The feeling of their hilts against his palms felt so incredibly natural. He knew the power he possessed and he smiled with malice.

"Nobodies," something told him. "Just like you."

No, he thought, lesser than me.

They each fell with a few quick slashes of his blades. Such easy oponents. He had so much power and skill that he was almost disappointed that it had to be wasted on these weak underlings. The taste of battle was so rich that he hadn't realized he's finished every single last one of them until he spun around to discover solitude.

Roxas was suddenly very tired. His eyes refocused as if he'd been hypnotized and he wondered at the blades in his hands.

He collapsed.

The members of Organization XIII watched the spectacle with approval and they were beyond satisfied with their newest member's performance. They saw his keyblades cut through those lesser Nobodies as if they were mere shadows that never existed. It was amazing, beyond what any of them had ever accomplished during their first assessment.

"I think you've been beat, Axel," a venomous smirking voice whispered in the pyromancer's ear as they gazed at the massacre before them.

"You never saw my first assessment, Larxene," Axel replied with a smirk equally as venomous, "But I saw yours, and I have to say, that dagger throwing was absolutely perfect."

"I hear your sarcasm, asshole," the Savage Nymph said, "Just know whose daggers pierce _your _pretty flesh."

Axel rubbed the material covering the place where his heart should have been, where the mockery of a heart embedded itself into his skin. Larxene noticed the movement and looked up at his thoughtful face and she could have sworn she felt a pang inside her as if she really possessed a heart. The two arrogant Nobodies were silent for the duration of the battle, both lost in their own thoughts of selfish schemes. They both knew the danger in the future plans that awaited them. They both knew the path they would take with the arrival of their key member.

What they didn't know was that the Key of Light would open up a door to another path entirely.

AN: Hello everyone who cares to read this little fic! All of my faithful readers, however small a number you are, have my undying love for sticking with this story.

As you can see, updates are a killer to come by these days and I apologize if this is somewhat disappointing in terms of length (and possibly – although I certainly hope not – quality), but school has made me a busy girl and it's hard to find time to write fanfiction amid the endless homework. I have a speech coming up, so I have to practice my public speaking a lot in this next week, but afterwards I truly hope I could get back on track with my beloved story. It's frustrating staring at my plans and not being able to continue it...

Anyway, I realize this is short and that there might be a lack of Larxel action, but I assure you that it is for good reason For now, I hope you've enoyed the latest installment, however brief it may be, and I ask that you be patient with me.

Thank you,

CT


	8. Chapter 7: Broken Perfection

**WARNING: Ehhh... this chapter gets just a little gruesome, so for those of the faint of heart or who just get plain offended by heavy sadomasochism and occasional blasphemous outbursts, then shy away from it. I'll place a warning for when it begins, but the end of it is important, so don't miss it!**

Chapter 7: Broken Perfection

Larxene was perched upon a balcony, hidden in shadows as she watched two people with intense electric blue eyes. She glared at Axel and then at the boy as she heard something bubbly and almost happy spew forth from his mouth. Was that laughter? Was that a _smile_?

God, she wanted to hurl.

Ever since Roxas' evaluation, Axel had been spending less and less time in her grasp and she felt him slipping away to that godforsaken boy. She fingered her knives, almost slicing her skin by the angry pressure she placed upon their blades. She would impale him where he stood if it didn't mean her own demise. The boy was not to be harmed, the Superior had strictly informed them. Well, if she couldn't do him in physically, then at least she could pretend...

Larxene lifted one knife as if to throw it, aiming precisely at the boy's forehead. She chuckled darkly and her arm wound back, the knife slowly slipping from her fingertips to her target. Her mind strayed from the death warning the Superior gave them and the weapon left her fingers inch by agonizing inch. As it made its way over her fingertips, Larxene vaguely wondered at how badly she was going to get punished, inwardly raging at the fact that she even cared at all that the boy was taking Axel's attention. Suddenly, a flash of pink knocked the knife away from her hand before it could make its deadly flight.

"Now that's not an attempted murder I see here, is it, Larxene?" a certain Graceful Assassin inquired lightly from behind.

"Of course not, flowerboy," Larxene muttered defiantly, "I was simply practicing my aim."

"And whose head were you aiming for, dear? Axel's or the boy's?" Marluxia's voice was teasing – insufferably jovial. He knew, that bastard.

"Fuck off."

"Is that all you have for me?" Marluxia asked, almost genuinely surprised, "No snide remarks? Acid words? _Nothing?_"

Larxene almost laughed. There was something strange happening; something akin to resignation, although she couldn't admit it. She was so inexplicably drained, though. Where had all the fight gone? Had it left when the dagger fell from her fingers? She was furious – that much was certain – but when she thought about Axel and the boy together now, all she could feel was the gnawing sensation of something drifting away from her.

Marluxia stared at the Savage Nymph's face and saw something flicker there. He smirked and disappeared through a dark portal, but not before saying, "Don't lose sight of our goal, darling."

Larxene scowled at the spot where he stood and turned back to the pair she'd been watching. She was taken aback by the glowing emeralds staring at her from several storeys below. She was immaculately hidden though, and she passed it off as a trick of her mind when she blinked and found the owner of those eyes running beside a skateboarding Roxas, completely oblivious to the angry woman glaring from above. Larxene's eyes narrowed into slits, hands itching to reach for her daggers again. That infernal flame ignited within her once more and she burned to make Axel feel what she was feeling now – whatever the hell that may be. Thoughts formed in her head and she slunk back into the shadows, melting with the darkness as a dangerous smile played upon her lips.

She would be paying a visit to the Marquis de Sade tonight...

* * *

Axel didn't know what it was about Roxas that made him so carefree. He'd seen the boy in action – had seen the cold ruthlessness he was capable of – and yet here the very same kid was, skateboarding like there was no Heartless, no Nobodies and no Kingdom Hearts. He figured he must have some sort of mental disorder to be so detached from one facade to another. Multiple Personality Disorder, perhaps? Then again, he, too, had various sides to his assumed personality with varying degrees of ruthlessness and playfulness. It was just infinitely more imperceptible than Roxas'. It was like the kid could be a killer one moment and then be just a normal kid the next. He just couldn't understand and it frustrated him to no end.

It was easy to go along with the boy's antics. Axel had to admit that he seemed to enjoy himself in his company despite the occasional inanity of it. It was interesting, to say the least, how easy-going the Key of Light could be. Like a conundrum, Roxas was studied and scrutinized by the curious redhead. They'd gone on a mission or two together and each time Axel observed. The way he swung his Keyblades or the way he treated his kill like they were nothing at all – it was all calculated and studied, the information kept in the pyromancer's head for some eventual yet unknown use.

Perhaps it wasn't something mentally challenging at all. Maybe it was something about the boy still possessing an Other. His other half was still alive, unlike every other Nobody here. To become a Nobody, your heart had to be separate from your body, and a Heartless must be made of you. Therefore, you die. Sora really should have been dead, and yet he survived. He resisted the darkness and pressed on, unknowingly leaving a supposedly empty shell in his wake. Maybe there was still some mental connection between the two beings despite their obliviousness to each other's existence. Roxas possessed nothing less than the most dangerous and deadly traits of an Organization-level Nobody, but there was also that inner child that must have come from that annoying goody-two-shoes Sora.

As Axel watched Roxas grind on a rail, the boy emitting a hearty laugh when he stumbled and crashed upon the ground, he felt a burning inside him. There was that desire to feel again. Maybe he'd gotten too comfortable in his routine with Larxene. He'd gotten too used to feeling only pain and pleasure that he forgot what true feeling meant to him. The facade of contentedness fell away to reveal that gaping hole anew. Axel glared at the boy with his carefree attitude. How come he could be so joyous when he felt so empty inside?

If he hadn't known better, he might have thought he was jealous.

* * *

"Good to see you've finally come, Number VIII," an authoritative voice said with slight agitation.

"My apologies, Superior," Axel said, head bowed, kneeling on one knee.

"Were you to busy playing child's games with the boy? Or perhaps you were with a certain Savage Nymph?" The Superior never liked lateness and he was certainly showing his displeasure.

Axel was slightly taken aback by the latter comment, but he knew he shouldn't have been surprised: the Superior knew everything. Quickly regaining his composure, he answered, "No, I have not been playing and, no, I have not been spending time with her. I've simply been keeping track of the boy, as requested by you, Superior."

"Of course..." Xemnas smirked. "Well, I didn't call you here to hear about your daily life, Number VII. I have some important matters to discuss with you.

"It appears that we might have a traitor among us. I'm certain that he will try to initiate his plans during the Castle Oblivion mission, so be wary of all members." At that, he gave Axel a pointed look.

_Larxene, too._ Axel closed his eyes at the thought.

"What happens to the traitor?" he asked, already knowing the answer, yet dreading it altogether.

"Annihilate them."

* * *

Just the sight of her made him burn, especially when she was lying in his bed. Larxene was propped up on his pillows, the crimson sheets curled around her body like blood. She was reading her favorite book and the sight gave him a heavy sense of déjà-vu. Axel really shouldn't have been surprised that she was here: she always showed up eventually. Yet he felt something different in the air. Something almost frightening if anything was capable of having that effect on him anymore. Warily, he walked over to the bed. So engrossed in the Marquis she was that she didn't notice Axel's approach until his pale fingers curled around the spine to yank the book from her hands.

"Have you taken up a new hobby? Stalking, perhaps?" Axel asked.

Larxene gave him a sly grin as she replied, "Now, if I was stalking you, I wouldn't be sitting in plain sight, would I."

The redheaded Nobody chuckled as he sat down beside her and ran his gloved hand along her neck, touching the places he memorized as her pleasurable spots. Larxene's eyes fluttered unwillingly and he smirked at her response. He pushed her blond hair aside and placed his lips upon the sensitive skin there, breathing in that electrifying scent of her. She found it was uncharacteristically gentle of him and her thoughts scattered as he lightly nipped the skin of her neck, breath hitching at the sensation. She could feel his smile on her skin. What a distracting prick, she thought only half-angrily.

"Does that mean you were stalking me down at the courtyards then?" Axel inquired knowingly, breath tickling her ear. The question snapped the Savage Nymph out of her trance and she froze slightly. It was brief – only less than a millisecond of rigidness before she shook off her surprise – but the pyromancer knew her too well to let the small fracture in her demeanor escape him.

"You have to try harder than that to hide from me, Larxy." His tone was jestful, but Larxene wasn't amused. Released from that strange hold Axel had on her, she whipped her head around to face him, her smile sickly sweet with acid promises flashing in her eyes.

"Aww, is poor wittle Axel getting pawanoid?" the electric Nobody asked in a demeaning, childish voice. She smirked when the irritation flickered across his face. But he was not to be outdone so easily.

"Is poor Lar-Lar jealous?"

**¡WARNING! -- Morbidness begins here -- ¡WARNING!**

Her eyes flashed dangerously like light upon the shiny edges of her deadly knives. She hated that voice. She hated that name. But she hated even more the fact that he knew her so well. Like the lightning she could create, the speed of her kunais were too fast for Axel to see, although he knew they were bound to shoot out of those trusty sleeves of hers eventually. He just didn't think she'd use them so viciously so soon. Two daggers stabbed into his stomach, sunken to the hilt in his flesh. The Savage Nymph smiled sadistically as she violently twisted the knives and laughed cruelly when his face contorted in that disturbing mix of pleasure and pain as watts of electricity flowed through the metal.

"God, how I've missed you," she whispered almost fondly, breathing heavy with rising excitement and her body itching to _feel_.

Axel found that he'd missed her, too. Her voice, her eyes, her hands, her lips – everything about her was so tempting. And he was not about to neglect her again. The Flurry of Dancing Flames was aflame with passionate need as he roughly grabbed her golden hair and slammed her lips against his. Larxene moaned as his other hand unzipped her jacket to reach the skin beyond, sensitive with need. But she was feeling especially dominant this night and she couldn't afford distractions, so she bit his lip. Hard.

"Fuck, Larxene," he muttered, wiping the blood from his throbbing lip.

Suddenly, a knife was placed at his throat, right at his vocal chords. The pressure was enough to draw a drop of blood.

"Say nothing or you lose your neck, dear." Her voice was pleasant but the words were threatening, and the contrast made Axel throb for more of her.

"I'm not usually a jealous person, Axel," Larxene murmured while slowly slicing apart his coat, "But I feel that you're ignoring me. There's consequences for that, you know."

He was about to reply with a smart comment, but she could see his desire to speak and reminded him of her threat. "Ah ah ah," she said, tapping the knife held against his jugular, "Think of your pretty neck. We don't want you losing it, now do we?"

Axel knew that getting his throat sliced open was by no means fatal, but the mere thought of Larxene's sharp blades against that once delicate spot was just too arousing. He groaned when her nails dragged and ripped his skin as she peeled his shredded coat off his body; he'd be needing a new one of those. She giggled when his evidence of desire throbbed in her hand, restrained by the material of his pants, and when he moaned in response to her rubbing. For a moment, she seemed to become gentle, opting to stroke his arousal and watch his reaction, but then her hand quickly left and found another protuberance from his body. Her fingers curled around one of the nearly forgotten knife hilts embedded in his stomach and violently yanked it from his flesh. The sudden pain made Axel cry out while blood gushed from the deep wound.

"Holy fucking mother of God!" he cursed loudly, his hand pressing against the gash.

There was always some deep fascination Larxene had in the taste of his blood. She licked her blade clean of the red substance, staining her once rosy lips a deep crimson. Then she kissed Axel long and hard, their tongues battling for dominance, the unique taste of _her_ mixing with the coppery taste of his own blood in his mouth. Then there was a sharp, excruciating pain pulsing from his neck and he would have screamed into her mouth had his vocal chords been intact.

"I told you to say not a word, didn't I?" the Savage Nymph whispered against his lips, "You never listen, do you? Such a stubborn man..."

The redheaded Nobody sputtered and coughed as his throat began healing. "Crazy bitch," he hoarsely spat, blood leaking from his mouth. Larxene only laughed. She gently caressed the nearly closed wound like a precious ruby necklace and dragged her fingers along his pale skin, leaving a scarlet path in their wake.

She was so distracted by her little painting that she was caught off guard when her canvas moved and tackled her to the ground, her head jarring at the impact with the cold, hard marble. Axel ripped her jacket open, the zipper breaking at the force. It wasn't surprising to see that she hadn't bothered to put anything on underneath. "I think you've had enough fun," he murmured, nipping at her ear, "My turn."

Larxene made a move to stab him in the back with another kunai, but he was prepared this time and caught her wrist. "I've had enough of those in my body for one night," he said, almost chuckling even as he ripped the other one still impaled in him from his stomach. His blond companion couldn't help but giggle at that.

**END of morbidness END**

When he kissed her it was hard. When he touched her it was rough. When he entered her it was perfect. Looking up at him in the throes of passion – pale skin stained with drying crimson, feral emeralds piercing her with their intensity – Larxene could only be reminded of how perfect they were for each other. She could always toy with him and scar his body, but she'd always somehow succumb to that infuriating man, her body arching into his, molding to form the most complete shape.

Watching the most vicious fighter he'd ever known fold beneath him and allow him to enter her, Axel could only think of how much he wanted her. Everytime he penetrated, kissed, touched – fuck, even _saw_ – her, he was filled with uncontrollable lust. This was perfection. They were perfection. And Axel couldn't help but feel like there really was something inside that empty chest of his when he looked at this paragon of a woman.

But as they lay on the marble floor, warm and sticky from passion, Axel knew that it wasn't real. He had no heart. She had no heart. And they could not love each other. The Superior's words returned to him as he watched Larxene lying there, her bruised body gasping for air. Every member was to be suspected. Even her.

"_What happens to the traitor?"_

"_Annihilate them."_

He couldn't do this anymore. It was a distraction from his goal and he feared he was becoming weak. He wanted his heart, but he couldn't keep on with the organization if this continued. It was too wonderful – too goddamn _perfect_.

"Larxene?"

She hummed in response.

"This has to stop." Axel kept his eyes shut, not wanting to see her reaction.

Surprisingly, she only chuckled. Larxene had a sardonic grin on, as if she knew this would happen at some point. Sighing, she rolled herself onto his body so that her head lay on his shoulder, her hand caressing his scarred chest. His body was rigid, but she continued her ministrations, tracing every bump of damaged skin. It was all her. She was the one who did this, and he was hers. She knew it couldn't last, no matter how much she didn't want to believe it. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised, but the fury was overwhelming. Her fingers brushed across that beautiful heart she carved so long ago and she exhaled deeply, her hand retreating.

"I'm sorry..." Axel whispered.

"Your heart's not in it, Axel," Larxene said. She chuckled at the irony of her statement.

"You want to know something?" she asked. Axel felt that he didn't, but he wouldn't stop her. His eyes were still closed, but he could feel the cold steel of a knife against his chest and the bite of it into his skin.

"I hate you."

With that, her blade penetrated his chest and she disappeared into the darkness – away from him. Axel's eyes flew open and he tugged the blade from his body, inspecting the metal dripping of rubies. Then he looked at the place that it impaled. The heart that Larxene made had a fresh cut along it, slicing it in two. But the pain of that was nothing compared to what was happening inside him.

Her words pierced him further than any of her knives could.

* * *

AN: What's this? An _update_? My Lord, I think a miracle has happened! Or I just got off my lazy ass and actually wrote.

Wow, this took a while to write. I'm so incredibly sorry for leaving this untouched for so long. I'm not gonna make any excuses except that I'm a horrible sloth. Well, this was actually a little troublesome to write. You know, sometimes I fear for my sanity whenever I write shit like this. It's scary sometimes to see the productions of your mind. I actually held back with some of the gruesome details. Maybe I'm just a morbid person. Lord knows some of my artwork is messed up...

Eh, anyways, I stress, **DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. THE ACTIVITIES OF THIS CHAPTER ARE DANGEROUS AND LETHAL AND COULD ULTIMATELY CAUSE SOMEONE TO DIE. DO NOT BE STUPID AND THINK YOU HAVE THE HEALING ABILITIES OF A NOBODY. 'CAUSE YOU DON'T.**

Well then, again, I'm sorry about taking so long. I hope this chapter was satisfying enough, and for those of you who were begging for some Larxel, I hope this sated your hunger.

Oh yeah, and I will be very busy for the next couple of weeks since I'm going on vacation and then I anticipate that I'll have to do a lot of catching up when I return, so the week after that would be full of homework, too. I'll try to make the next one a faster update, but this time I can't afford to make promises I truly know I can't keep. Sorry, you guys, but there's a chance chapter 8 might come out later than it took to come out with this one.

But good news is that this was the longest chapter I wrote, so I guess the wait was worth it? o.o;


End file.
